A letter to President Putin

I write these lines to you on board the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise, as we leave the Russian economic zone waters north of the Kola Peninsula. You may be aware that for the last 5 days people from our ship were engaging in a peaceful protest against the planned start up of drilling for oil on the Russian Arctic shelf by Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya platform. I want to personally assure you that these protests were in no way directed against the interests of Russia, of people working on the platform, or even against the company of Gazprom. These protests are part of a global campaign that we have been carrying out for a number of years, protesting against oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, from Greenland to Alaska.

Mr. President. It is my deeply held conviction that oil production in the Arctic is counter to the environmental and economic security of Russia. Two weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting with your minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Donskoy. I presented him the findings of the group of respected Russian scientists, who concluded that oil production even on a comparatively near- shore platform such as Prirazlomnaya, carries a high risk of severe contamination of the fragile Arctic marine and coastal environment, while the ability to clean up such a spill is extremely low, due to the climactic and geographic conditions of the region.

Mr. President, I would like to emphasize again, that this is not unique to Russia. Similar analyses have yielded similar results for oil production on the Greenlandic and US Arctic shelves.

The Minister also received from us a report presented earlier this year which analyses the economic feasibility of oil production on the Arctic shelf. It is clear that the production costs are so high as to make the venture unprofitable. Indeed, instead of contributing positively to the Russian economy, it is more likely to become a drain on Federal, and perhaps regional budgets.

Ironically, we are just now passing close to the Shtokman gas field – a project which has now hit what seems to be a final obstacle and is in the process of dissolution, testifying its economic unfeasibility.

Mr. President I want to be very clear, we are not calling for stopping the use of petroleum products today. However it is clear that global oil production will not be able to be maintained much longer at the current level. We will be forced to develop and implement alternative, sustainable sources of energy. Russia possesses an immense wealth of such sources – from wind and solar to biomass and geothermal, as well as a huge potential for energy conservation which can provide cheaper and quicker energy equivalents than it planned to obtain in the Arctic offshore – Russia is capable to become the LEADING country in the world for developing clean energy for the future.

Mr. President, I am deeply concerned that the decision to develop oil fields on the Arctic shelf risks devastating the environment, while closing the channels of investment towards renewable energy sources. I completely support the sentiment you expressed at the congress of the All-Russian public organization “Business Russia” when you said: "It is obvious for us that the ambitious goals that we set for ourselves can only be achieved within the framework of a new model of economic growth, whose driver will be not the resource complex, but a powerful high technology-based business…”

Opening extremely expensive oil fields in Arctic offshore doesn’t help to stop the dependence of Russian national budget on oil and gas and on volatile oil and gas prices on the international market.

Mr. President, one other aspect needs to be mentioned. The climate crisis that the scientific community has been warning about for years is upon us. The data released 3 days ago by scientists from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) clearly shows that the extent of the Arctic ice cover is at its all-time minimum – frightening proof of the fact that the geophysical profile of our planet is undergoing rapid and violent changes, which threaten all of our futures, and indeed are already causing humanitarian catastrophes, both in my homeland, where droughts are devastating the African continent, as well as in yours, Mr. President, where we witnessed widespread forest fires two years ago. I am sure you agree with me, Mr. President, that it is not fair, that people of the developing world who have contributed least to carbon emissions are the ones that are already paying the first and most brutal impacts of climate change.

Part of the mission of Greenpeace is to bring to the public eye the destruction that our planet is suffering. Our ship will now proceed to the edge of the Arctic ice north of the Norwegian coast where together with representatives of the scientific community and representatives of the global public we will document and bear witness to the reality of the disappearing of the Earth’s ice shield.

Mr. President, I am reminded of your words in the interview to a Canadian newspaper in 2000. You said “I’ve always admired people who devote their lives to environmental problems, I’ve watched with astonishment as a group of people on a little boat oppose a military or industrial ship. I must say it inspires only sympathy.” Mr. President, I hope that you understand that our protest at Prirazlomnaya was done with the spirit of taking personal action that you say you admire. In the same spirit I would like to extend an invitation to you. I would be honored if you joined us on board the Arctic Sunrise in the upcoming trip to the retreating edge of the Arctic ice, so you could see for yourself the beauty of this remarkable region, the risk that it is exposed to, and hopefully be inspired to use your position to protect it against destruction.

We need global leadership to ensure that the Arctic is declared a global sanctuary and I appeal to you to step forward to provide it.

it seems to be a unique situation that a CEO from Greenpeace International, Mr President, I am sure you must have not...

Dear Mr. President,

it seems to be a unique situation that a CEO from Greenpeace International, Mr President, I am sure you must have noticed, comes towards you in deep respect just when others, sorry having to say so Mr. President, turn away.

General opinion regarding Russia, and Mr. President, towards your person are said to need revise.

What a chance, Mr. President, to brighten up your image. Just imagine the Dictator Putin fighting hand in hand with DOCTOR Naidoo from, you just witnessed it yourself, Mr. President, Africa.

Mr. President, Africa and Russia, the powerful alliance of the future, both victims of the western World,

Mr. President, wouldn't it be wonderful if these to victims stand up together, Mr. President, to fight global injustice...as it sounds Kumi and you are already of the same opinion regarding what is fair, and what not.

Dear Mr. President, you are not a Dictator like others say, nope, you are simply a future Green Leader...because as you have experienced in Russia, strong leadership is always needed.

Mr. President, I would like to confirm you I am not one of those you call perverted homosexual, my invitation to join me in the Arctic is of pure sympathy towards a great leader of the 21st century.

Sun Wu, godfather of the Rainbow Warrior III (not the president!)

PS: I read it...could anybody possibly explain to me what DOCTOR Naidoo expects to achieve with this wonderful letter to Mr President

Poor Pussy Riot and all the others having disapeared in Russian Jail. What are they fighting for if Greenpeace offers their enemy the hand.

...Much has been supplanted in recent years: the wars in Chechnya swallowed internal Russian matter, the trial of Khodorkovsky and Lebedev trivialized as a power struggle among oligarchs, the death of journalists and human rights activists accepted as difficult aufklärbar, the cruel regime of Kadyrov dismissed in Chechnya as Caucasian specific , accepted the de facto annexation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the war of 2008 as a result of Georgian provocation. Only the apparent collusion with the Assad regime in Syria has made the different values ​​and interests so clear that they could no longer ignore the best of intentions can. The Punkerinnen Pussy Riot have it all in a nutshell.

...Who is preventing the EU and the U.S. from the Russian president to make clear that a corrupt power and judiciary Russia disqualified as a partner? Why is Russia's participation in the G-8 summit is not suspended while the regime does not guarantee the minimum democratic standards?...'

Sun Wu (in pain)

PS: please, could you get DOCTOR Naidoo some DECENT papers immediately?

GREEN Saviour: I'm afraid I can't explain it. I have absolutely no idea what it is meant to get the President to do. I can only assume that it...

GREEN Saviour: I'm afraid I can't explain it. I have absolutely no idea what it is meant to get the President to do. I can only assume that it is an attempt to gain the moral high ground. Unfortunately the power high ground is much, much higher than the moral high ground. Isn't it?

Earth: No! Freedom of speech, right? Or are you another GratefulChild Naidoo-cultist? (remember him, GREEN Saviour?)

@Messenger!: Boohoo...happy?
But seriously. This letter is not going to change anything...and really, really, the power high ground is so much h...

@Messenger!: Boohoo...happy?
But seriously. This letter is not going to change anything...and really, really, the power high ground is so much higher than the moral high ground. Morals don't really count for much anymore. And I do not believe that Putin will appreciate what Dr, Naidoo is saying...after all, it's one thing to applaud action on other people, other nations, other nations' companies, but completely another to applaud actions taken against your own.
May God guide Greenpeace would be a better prayer...
or how about my usual...just see other posts by me...

Did you get the meaning of the (bad) google-translation of 'DIE ZEIT' article.

This is bad, I am kind of missing words...

Putin is just about to be expelled from International community, at least some Intellectuals start to discuss putting in a different gear...

While brains start to demand and END of cuddling with Putin, will say: it is enough for a while already even though he has oil and gas...

...Greenpeace starts to offer hugs after having made work of Greenpeace Russia most likely more than difficult...lets see what will happen in the next one or two years following DOCTOR Naidoo's nice action in the Arctic in urgent need of a success linked to his name.

I got the impression Greenpeace is not a friend of brains for a while, much rather they seem to prefer the boulevard...please prove me to be wrong!!!

As I said: I am missing words...therefor I will provide some nice journalism in this place from now on....Andrew, of course always on topic, I already found a nice article on political correctness in terms of being a victim of the western world...like Russia, and of course: AFRICA.

It won't be Sun Wu Speaking, but journalists from leading media.

What else could I say which I have not said already without having to fear censorship.

DOCTOR Naidoo, please keep in mind the sake of Greenpeace, Only this Mr President, may I l...y...a...in the name of Greenpeace, sorry Mr. President, it is more reason than necessary to ask someone to remind you to do the necessary step now...

I can't, Andrew and EoinD will not excuse it (I am learning along the way).

Mr. President, you do not have to prove me to be right on a daily basis.